After hour and a half of relative quiet, sirens sound in Ashdod and Ashkelon at 8 pm: Seven rockets fired at area, 4 of which were intercepted, 2 fell in open areas and 1 hit school in Ashdod.

Ynetnews|Last update: 17.07.14 , 00:08

Rocket fire continued without cessation on Wednesday night, as Hamas militants fired 7 rockets towards Ashdod and Ashkelon. Two people were injured when they tripped and fell down stairs while attempting to reach a protected space, and two were treated for anxiety. At around 8:15 pm, after an hour and a half of relative quiet, sirens sounded in both southern cities and the surrounding regional councils.

The Iron Dome system intercepted four rockets, two fell in open territories and another struck a school in Ashdod without causing any casualties. The rocket fire at Ashdod occurred several hours after Ashdod’s municipality decided that school would once again be cancelled in the city on Thursday.

Ashdod school hit by rocket (Photo: Avi Rokach)

At around 9 pm, Code Red sirens sounded in Kiryat Malakhi and surrounding communities. The Iron Dome intercepted two rockets. Later Wednesday, five rockets were intercepted over Ashdod.

Earlier Wednesday evening, six rockets were fired at Ashkelon, of which one was intercepted and the others fell in open territories. In another attack during the afternoon hours, two rockets exploded in Eshkol Regional Council. Another three rockets fell in open areas in Sdot Negev. There were no reports of injuries or damage.

Direct hit in Ashdod (Photo: Avi Rokach)

Rockets continued to hit southern Israel throughout the afternoon. Between 4 and 5:30 pm, 4 mortar shells fell outside a community in Eshkol. Another rocket hit a structure in Eshkol. No injuries were reported. Three more rockets fell in open territories in Sdot Negev, and 2 were intercepted by the Iron Dome above Netivot.

At around 3 pm, two rockets fired from the Gaza Strip exploded in open territories in Sdot Negev, and 3 were intercepted over Ashkelon. In addition, a rocket exploded in a community in Eshkol Regional Council, causing a fire to break out. Three more fell in open territories.

At around 2 pm, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Norwegian Foreign Minister Børge Brende were forced to run for cover, when a rocket fired by Gaza militants struck a building in Ashkelon during their visit to the city. Later on, two mortar shells exploded in open territories in Eshkol Regional Council.

Interception of rocket over Ashkelon (Photo: Moshe Amar)

Between 1 and 2 pm, two rockets exploded in open areas in Sdot Negev Regional Council, 4 rockets exploded in open territories in Dimona and another 3 were intercepted over Kiryat Gat.

At 12:30, two rockets exploded in Sha’ar HaNegev and Sdot Negev Regional Councils. There were no reports of injuries or damage. Several minutes later, 6 rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome in the area of Ofakim. Three more rockets exploded in open areas.

At around 12:15pm, 2 rockets fired at the Bnei Shimon Regional Council were intercepted by Iron Dome. Shortly before that, a little after 12pm, five rockets exploded in open areas in the Eshkol Regional Council.

At little after 11:30am, a rocket hit a parking lot near the border in the Hof Ashkelon Regional Council. Damage was caused to eight vehicles. At 11:09am, a rocket hit an open area in Hof Ashkelon.

A rocket hit an open area in Eshkol around 10am. Seven additional rockets hit open areas in Eshkol at around 10:27am, and another one hit 20 minutes later.

Ar around 9:25am, the Iron Dome intercepted a rocket over Ashdod.

At around 9:22am, rocket alert sirens were sounded in Tel Aviv, Bat Yam, Givatayim, Ramat Gan, Petah Tikva, Ra'anana, Herzliya, Kfar Shmaryahu and the surrounding areas. Four rockets were intercepted in an unprecedented barrage at the area. One house in Tel Aviv sustained heavy damage from falling fragments of one of the rockets that was intercepted .

Tel Aviv house hit by rocket (Photo: Motti Kimchi)

The rockets were launched from Beit Lahia, from which the IDF asked citizens to evacuate two days ago. Magen David Adom paramedics treated nine people for shock in Tel Aviv, Bnei Brak, Holon, Petah Tikva and Kfar Saba.

Israelis stop at the sides of the Ayalon Highway during the rocket alert siren (Photo: Tomer Cohen)

Rocket intercepted over Tel Aviv (Photo: Ohad Kev)

No less than six rockets intercepted by the Iron Dome over Ashkelon in an unusually heavy barrage at around 7:42am. Two more rockets fell in open areas, one of them starting a fire. One rocket was intercepted over Kiryat Malachi at around 8am.

At around 7:25am, four rockets exploded in the Eshkol Regional Council.